Suspect killed in officer-involved shooting following pursuit in Barstow

Paola Baker Staff Writer @DP_PaolaBaker

Tuesday

Nov 7, 2017 at 7:54 AMNov 7, 2017 at 5:17 PM

BARSTOW — A man was fatally shot by a police officer after a pursuit led to a crash here Monday evening.

The incident occurred after the suspect —wanted on probation violations — led Barstow Police Department officers on a reckless chase before crashing into the yard of a nearby home. BPD Capt. Andy Espinoza said the man was armed with a firearm and was walking toward officers when the shooting occurred.

Espinoza said the chase began when a BPD detective spotted the suspect — described only as a 48-year-old white male — sitting inside a Ford Expedition with a trailer in the 300 block of Palm Avenue at 4:48 p.m. The man quickly drove away from the area when the detective tried to contact him, police said.

The detective tried to pull the man over, but the suspect fled instead, with the detective in close pursuit. Police said he was driving erratically during the chase, speeding through residential areas and running several stop signs and traffic lights.

Other BPD officers soon joined the chase, Espinoza said, which ended when the suspect crashed into the front yard of a home in the 800 block of E. Fredricks Street. The suspect exited the vehicle and ran to the front door, with officers hot on his trail. As they approached, the suspect pulled out a handgun and turned towards the officers.

“An officer opened fire and struck the suspect,” Espinoza said.

Officers on scene rendered life saving measures to treat the man, and medical aid was also requested. Despite all measures, he was pronounced dead at the scene, Espinoza said.

The identity of the man is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

No other details were available yet on the incident. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Detail is investigating the officer-involved shooting, Espinoza said.